I am teenager who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes two months ago, and I want to know if there is any problem if I fast during the month of Ramadan, even if my doctor disagrees.

Answer:

Fasting in the early part of the day should be compatible with maintaining good control, but it will mean modifying your insulin regimen. Ideally, and you should talk to your doctor about the details, and you should be on a basal insulin (like Lantus if it is available), with a short-acting insulin such as Humalog or NovoLog to cover the time when you break the fast. Until you understand how Ramadan affects blood sugars, you will need to test often. I imagine that it is also possible to get a special dispensation for diabetes.

Additional comments from Dr. Stuart Brink:

If you can get a copy of Diabetes Forecast, there was an article about Ramadan and other fasting holidays and how this can be managed with insulin treated diabetes. You can work this out, but it will take a lot of blood glucose monitoring to help you decide how much insulin to be decreased.

You should discuss this with your diabetes health care team and figure out a safe way to fast during the month of Ramadan. In Islam as in all other religions it is permissible and holy to take care of one's health and health is a higher priority than fasting, but it can be done.

Last Updated: Tuesday April 06, 2010 15:09:38
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